Myriad Realms Gatekeeper

"What are you laughing at?" Tian Luo asked.

"Crossing borders?" Shen Ye shook his head, "How can you even say that with a straight face."

"The fact remains, aren't you the king of the Human Empire in the Nightmare World?" Tian Luo spread his hands and said.

Shen Ye's gaze flickered.

Something... was a bit strange...

Nine Aspects went to Hell to look for Tian Luo, but couldn't find him.

Not only that.

It was Tian Luo, supposed to be seriously injured, who now dared to appear before Nine Aspects and take the initiative to ask questions.

...It seemed this guy had some cards up his sleeve.

Then let's reason it out.

Shen Ye's eyes brimmed with a fierce coldness as he stared intently at Tian Luo:

"You agreed Hell was under my control, yet you sent people to establish strongholds there. Why else do you think I am here?"

"Hell... Do you have any evidence?" Tian Luo didn't flinch from his gaze and asked.

"In the Valley of Ten Thousand Corpses in Hell, there's an organization of yours, specifically gathering Hell's rare treasures," Shen Ye said playfully, staring at the other, "What's the matter, can't own up to your actions?"

Tian Luo stood there motionless and did not speak, obviously contemplating something.

Shen Ye pressed his advantage:

"It was my subordinates who discovered this, and that's when I realized."

"Our dear Lord Tian Luo, not satisfied with just owning the Nightmare World, now you're peering into the pot while eating from your bowl, wanting to snatch treasures from Hell."

"Tsk tsk tsk, Tian Luo, neither of us is a child. So, cut the nonsense. Did you do it or not?"

Tian Luo still did not speak.

But the murderous intent enveloping him had significantly faded.

Indisputable facts.

It was Tian Luo who first broke the rules that led to all these ensuing events.

Shen Ye continued:

"You've crossed the line, brother."

"Let me be clear with you today—"

"When all your people pull out from Hell, that's when I'll leave the Nightmare World. Isn't that fair?"

Too fair.

It almost seemed like just coming to get a word in.

And, without even manifesting his Dharma Aspect, he sat there unmoving, his hands free from casting any Techniques.

—He clearly had no intention of burning bridges.

Tian Luo was left with even less to say.

He furrowed his brows, thought for a few breaths, then spoke again:

"But if you're wasting time here with me, what about the mission in Hell?"

"That's none of your business," Shen Ye snorted and turned his head away.

This was kind of like a petulant version of Nine Aspects.

Tian Luo was dumbfounded.

Right after that.

Shen Ye felt the binding sensation on his body disappear.

It seemed the other party had conceded a step.

"Don't act on impulse," Tian Luo barked, "If you can't find the clue to the Earth Gold Seal before I do, we won't be able to proceed to the next step!"

So that was it.

They were also looking for the Earth Gold Seal!

In other words—

They were also searching for the Earth Mother, or even that voice!

—The voice that had guided him and bestowed him the Dusk Shortsword!

Shen Ye roared: "What gives you the right to lecture me!"

He smashed the wine cup in his hand, took a few steps forward, confronted Tian Luo face to face, forehead to forehead, staring into his eyes, and said through gritted teeth:

"I was properly searching for clues in Hell, and all of you came running, wanting a share of the spoils!"

"You're disrupting my work!"

"—And another thing, my subordinates took a trip to the Great Tomb."

"Exploring the Great Tomb was whose task? Huh? But you and Tai Yan both sent people to scavenge the good stuff there."

"Who exactly is acting on impulse!"

"Tian Luo, do you think you're in any position to talk to me like this?"

Tian Luo was silent once more.

"Nine Aspects" approached, he had prepared five or six offensive Techniques, three or four defensive Techniques, and a powerful move that coordinated with the Law Manifestation.

But "Nine Aspects" showed no intention of acting violently, only roaring angrily and questioning him.

Each sentence was a direct hit.

Each one cut to the core of the conflict.

The whole issue was indeed because Tian Luo had been too greedy, annoying everyone.

...No wonder the other was so furious.

No help for it.

The one who erred first was clear as day.

Tian Luo stepped back unnaturally, looking elsewhere as he asked:

"Did you... see Tai Yan?"

"Who cares about him, he's trash, don't try to change the subject," Shen Ye said contemptuously.

—The real Nine Aspects was in the midst of transformation.

Its aura was extremely unstable, all the heads on its back constantly chewing, surrounded by phantasmagoric scenes.

Anyone could tell at a glance what state it was in.

But there were no such phantasmagoric scenes on himself, nor had he ever left this place.

Testing was pointless.

The adversary truly hadn't encountered Tai Yan.

"Hmph, stay as long as you like," Tian Luo said and retreated into the void, vanishing in an instant.

He was gone.

The webs that filled the surroundings also dissipated into nothingness.

Only Shen Ye remained standing there alone.

He returned to the grand hall of the royal palace, casually picked up a new wine glass, poured another cup of chilled lychee juice, and drained the cup in one gulp.

Dammit.

After witnessing the visions from that book, it seemed like nothing else was all that terrifying.

That's why he was able to act so naturally.

But how should he put it—

This Tian Luo seemed a bit strange.

He always felt that something was off.

Shen Ye sank into deep thought.

What if next...

Tian Luo laid out the Tian Luo Net to kill the Nine Aspects, what then?

He couldn't let his guard down.

Shen Ye immediately closed the Vial of Blood Origin Curse Seal.

After a few moments,

The aura of the Nine Aspects gradually disappeared from his body.

Then he summoned a few eunuchs, ordered them to change his clothes, his hairstyle, and even switched the King's Scepter in his hand for one made of gold.

A more flamboyant, handsomer King made his dazzling entrance!

—This should do the trick.

Even if there was a Tian Luo Net, the Nine Aspects had just left, and the one now impersonating the King here had turned into one of the Nine Aspects' subordinates.

Killing a subordinate of the Nine Aspects was utterly meaningless!

He should be safe.

Even if the Mo Ga Ru came, he could simply say the Nine Aspects had just left, and if you don't believe me, ask Tian Luo.

The plan went through!

Shen Ye took a bite of a pastry from the table, preparing to comfortably sit on the King's throne, when suddenly the void opened again.

A figure descended.

—The Nine Aspects!

Huh?

Why had it returned!?

Shen Ye, holding a pastry, was momentarily stunned.

It wasn't because of anything else.

But because the eyes of this Nine Aspects were exceptionally normal, filled with an unprecedented sense of rationality and ruthlessness.

—Could it be because he had successfully devoured Tian Luo?

And had evolved once more?

The restlessness and brutality that were once part of his being had vanished, his gaze no longer gloomy and pained, and even the dozens of heads on his back were no longer buzzing with chatter.

The vigorous and sharp power of the Law Manifestation around him reverberated through the void, instilling fear in those who felt it.

Shen Ye met the scrutinizing gaze of the Nine Aspects.

No, that's not right.

Why would the Nine Aspects be sizing me up?

If the Nine Aspects had become somewhat different due to some kind of evolution—

Tian Luo had only just left.

Even if the Nine Aspects had sandwiched Tian Luo between two pieces of bread and wolfed it down, it couldn't have been this fast!

So what was going on?

Shen Ye looked towards the dozens of heads behind the Nine Aspects.

As the "Life Soul Master," each of the heads behind him was endowed with reason and emotion.

But at this moment, not a single head was speaking.

...Something was off.

An unbelievable thought flashed through Shen Ye's mind.

It may sound slow, but as soon as the Nine Aspects appeared, Shen Ye only glanced at him for a moment, quickly tossed aside the pastry, stood up, and respectfully bowed, saying:

"Subordinate has seen the master!"

This was a declaration of identity.

—I'm on your side, don't mess with me!

"Hmm, how are things?"

Asked the Nine Aspects.

"Everything is normal, the empire is under your rule, whatever you need, I can arrange at any time," Shen Ye replied.

The Nine Aspects fell silent for a while as if digesting the information contained in the previous statement.

Shortly after,

He spoke, "How long will it take us to rule this world?"

Shen Ye bowed his head, maintaining a respectful demeanor to hide his expression from the other party.

—That's not the Nine Aspects!

What the Nine Aspects desired most was definitely not to rule the world.

He wanted to eat Tian Luo.

He wanted to vie with Mo Ga Ru for the top spot!

If the returnee was the Nine Aspects, his first question would have been:

"Did Mo Ga Ru come by?"

Or he might have asked:

"Any news of Tian Luo?"

Ruling and managing the world were matters for subordinates to handle; the Nine Aspects couldn't care less!

"Master, at present, we only control the Human Empire," Shen Ye said respectfully.

The Nine Aspects nodded, then added, "Conquering a world is indeed difficult, have you seen Tian Luo or Mo Ga Ru?"

"No, master," Shen Ye replied.

A spark of realization flashed through Shen Ye's mind.

At that moment, he suddenly understood why he had felt something was odd about Tian Luo.

Tian Luo—

Had been hit by his "Destiny's End · Banner of the Nest" and should be extremely weak at the moment, nowhere near the completely untroubled state shown earlier.

And as the "Dark Devourer," he had a sense of the "Banner of the Nest."

If the one who had come before was the real Tian Luo, then he would definitely be able to sense that "Destiny's End · Banner of the Nest."

So the answer was becoming clear—

The Nine Aspects was a false one, and Tian Luo was not the true Tian Luo!